Mine-car coupler



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Patented @et 7, 19211-,

VJ, BURKE, O3? ECCLES, WEST VIRiG-INA,

ramadan, courtes.

Application filed July 13, 1321. "Serial No. 84,2S6.

To all 'tu/lz om t may concern Be it known that lf-inns lll. BURKE, a citi- Zen oi the lnited States ot America, residingT at Eccles, in the county1 ot Raleigh and State ot lllest lifirginia`r has invented new and useful improvements in Mine-Car Couplers, of Which the followingr is a specification The object ot the invention is to provide a simple and efficient form ot coupler especiali;T adapted tor use in connection with mine cars and designed to provide for the etfective automatic coupling' of cars either on straight or curved portions of track Without necessitating manual operation of placement of the parts or the passing` between the cars of attendants in either the coupling` or uncoupling thereof, with a view to avoiding` the accidents which are incident to suoli operations under the ordinari7 practice; and. with this object in vieu' the invention consists in aconstruction and combination ot parts ol: Which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings. wherein lflipjure l is a longitudinal sectional View oit a coupling embodying the invention.

Figure is a plan viev: ot' the saine.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section.

Figure il is a view of the uncoupling shaft.

The draw heads l0 and Yll are respectively mounted in guides or boxines and lf3.y the dran' head l0 pre-terabhv being; provided with a stein ll extending through a guide l5 and fitted With a cushioning spring i6 serving to relieve strain upon the draw heads iu starting, said boxings being secured to the car bodies b v means of suitable bolts l?, and the draw head ll being pivotally mounted in its boxingby means ot' a pin 18, with a Sullicientlooseness of engagement by reason ol' an enlarged opening 19, to permit of limited lost motion.

The draw head 10 is provided with a spring' cushioned slide Q0 actuated by a coiled spring 2l and adapted to loe held thereby in position to support the coupling pin 22 in an uncoupled position with its lower end above the throat 23, said coupling; pin being connected b v a chain 24. or its equivalent with an arm 25 of an uncoupling` shaft 26 mounted transversely on the car body and having a terminal operating` arm 27 located at the side of the car.

Carried by the coupling head 11 for pivotal motion With relation thereto is a supplemental head connected With a tongueQQ of the head ll by means of a pivot pin 3Q, and the coupling` link 3l. which is carried by the supplemental head is adapted to extend into the throat et the head l0 tor repression ot the slide 20 and engagement bv the cou plm# pin 22., said link having` a. suitable opening 3T; for the reception ot the pin.

The supplemental coupling head and the dranT head l0 are provided respectively with a spherically rounded seat 33 and a complemental sphericallv rounded head 34 `for reception the seat to permit oi lateral relative swing/jing movement of the draiv head l0 and supplemental. couplinohead 28 in turninvfr curves and owingr to the fact that the supplemental head is pivotally mounted y means ot the pin 30 upon the draw head il it will be obvious that cars respectivelyv carrvinpl said coupling` members may be connected regardless ot the sharpness of the curve upon which thev be positioned.

rlllie coupling` pin when the coupling members are disengaged. being supported by the slide 2O1 it is obvious that when the linlr 31 enters the throat oi2 the draw bar l0 and engages the side` the latter Will be repressed to permit ot the dropping` of the couplinn` pin and hence the automatic interlockinr: oiE the neembers ot the coupler.

ln order to normally secure the pivot pin 30 in position to secure the auxiliary coupler head to the draw bar lL vWhile permitting' the removal thereoiQ to disengag'e the ausiliario head when desired. a retaining. arm 35 is shrunk on or otherwise secured to the pin 30 and is titted with a depending lug 36 operating:- in a cavityT 37 in the auxiliar7 coupler head` :said lun' having an ear 38 eX- tendina` under an overhangingr portion 39 of the coupler head when the retaining' arm is in the position indicated in Figure 2. When it is desired to remove the pin 30. which can only be done, when the members ol" the cou pler ure disengaged. the retaining arm may be swung t0 a central position in which the Winnn 39 is in registration. with a notch 40 comifnuuieating- AWith the cavitiT 37. llhen the couplingzmembers are engaged the retainingl arm is held bv the head 34 in the laterally displaced position indicated in Figure 9a to prevent displacement ot the pin 30.

Havinrr described the invention, What is claimed as neu7 and useful is l. coupling comprising a pair of draw heads and an intermediate supplemental couling head the lattei: having means for interlocking engagement with one 0IP the draw heads, a pin pixf'otally Connecting the supplemental Coupling head With the otherv draw head, and means carried by the pivot pin and engageable with the first said draw head to loek the pivot pin in position.

2. A coupling comprising a paix: of draw heads and an intermediate supplemental eeupling head, the latter having means fol interlocking engagement with one of the draw heads, a pin pvotally connecting the supplemental Coupling head With the other draw head, and a retaining ai'm attached to the pivot pin and provided with means for interlocking engagement with the supplemental Coupling head and being held in such interlocking engagment by the first said draw head when it and said sngplemental coupling head are inteiloekede i 3. In a coupling, a supplemental coupling head having a Cavity provided with an overhanging shoulder, a pin pivotally mounted in Said supplemental coupling `head for pivetally attaching the lattei` to a dra-W head, and an arm fixed to the pin and having a lug received in the cavity, said lug having an ear adapted to engage under the shoulderythe supplemental head being adapted for intel'- leeking engagement with a draw head so that the latter may moi/'e said ear under the shoulder.

In testimon)7 whereof he aflixes his signature.

JAMES lV. BURKE.

nov 

